New York, SANA – Syria’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, said that colonialism constitutes a crime which violates the Charter of the United Nations, the Declaration on Decolonization and principles of the International Law.

Al-Jaafari made his remarks during a meeting for the UN Special Committee on Decolonization on the issue of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

“Syria has been defending steadfastly the right of all peoples to self-determination,” said al-Jaafari, adding that his country could not accept the right to self‑determination being used to justify a dispute imposed by settlement in defiance of Argentina’s rights and violates the territorial integrity of Argentina since 1833.

He rejected the United Kingdom’s unilateral measures in the Malvinas which breach the relevant UN resolutions and undermine all efforts to hold a constructive dialogue with Argentina.

Al-Jaafari renewed Syria’s support for Argentina’s rights to the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas so as to ensure respect for the principle of territorial integrity of Argentina and end this form of British colonial settlement in those islands which closely resembles the Israeli settlement in the Palestinian and Syrian territories.

The Syrian diplomat stressed the need to resolve the dispute concerning sovereignty over these islands according to UN General Assembly’s resolutions, which confirmed that the issue of Malvinas Islands constitutes a specific colonial situation of a sovereign dispute between Argentina and the UK, and that the only way to end this conflict is a peaceful solution through negotiation.

He called on the Secretary‑General to use his good offices to ensure implementation of resolutions on the Malvinas, and on the United Kingdom to enter serious dialogue with Argentina to both settle the dispute and inform the Special Committee of all steps it had taken towards implementing its resolutions.